Hawk Talk - Andytag:blog.uml.edu,2009-09-11:/hawktalk/andy/452013-05-07T19:03:41ZMovable Type Enterprise 4.24-enGraduation and My Final Blog Entry EVERtag:blog.uml.edu,2013:/hawktalk/andy//45.24822013-05-06T20:08:00Z2013-05-07T19:03:41ZHello everybody. I haven't written in so long! I was moved to a new project within the university relations department and never got the time or chance to start it back up. I've missed it and now I am back...Hwang, SeungHyeon I am set to graduate with the class of 2013 in a couple of weeks. I cannot believe time has flown by so fast. As I look back on all of my blog posts from my freshmen year, I have grown tremendously as a person. It was such an important and valuable experience for me.

Thirteen years ago, I moved to the United States from South Korea. My family and I pursued a better life and education, with a big dream and goal of attending a university here in America. I can't believe that I will be completing that dream soon. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to learn and experience higher education.

During my years here, our university has grown tremendously. I think some students often take this for granted. We have a university here that truly cares about the quality of education and its students, which is refreshing and something we should value greatly. I am always proud about that part of our university.

Having said that, my time here at the University of Massachusetts Lowell means more than words on a resume. I have learned to become a better human being and prepared myself to make a difference out in the real world. I've always said that what differentiates UMass Lowell from other schools is our students. Our students are commonly referred to as “working class,” something that I deeply understood after my interaction with the student body through all these years. We all should be proud for contributing a little bit toward our education and achieving academic success at the same time. It’s not easy and I applaud all of you for it.

I also wanna take the time here to thank all of the UMass Lowell students, faculty, and staff that I have interacted and worked with for the last four years. They were some of the most unique, knowledgeable, and inspiring people that I have ever met.

Elaine Keough took this clueless freshmen student four years ago under her wing to work on a blogging project. I want to thank you, Elaine, for the opportunity. I really enjoyed my time writing the blogs. I also want to thank Julia Gavin, Michael Pueschel, and Amy Eddy for implementing the HawkTalk project. I learned a lot about the campus through this project and you guys were nothing but kind and generous to me.

This is it. Thank you to anyone who has read any of my blogs in the last four years (you can still read all of it in my archives hehe). I hope you enjoyed at least some of it! You can still keep up with me through commencement with UMass Lowell's Twitter and Facebook feed (watch for the hashtag #HawkTalk). Lastly, be proud of your school! You all may not realize it now, but we are part of something special, trust me. Enjoy your summer and good luck in all of your future endeavors!

For the last time,

Andy Hwang

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Take a Look Aroundtag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.23342012-11-06T17:50:25Z2012-11-06T18:14:26ZI always get lunch at Subway on South Campus every Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's become a routine for me as I have some time between classes on South. Before this semester, I rarely went into the McGauvran, let alone Subway....Hwang, SeungHyeon Students are often playing on the Xbox/PS3 console setups in the area, which I think is excellent. I am an avid gamer. I haven't got around to actually using the consoles yet, but it's only a matter of time. It's been there for a while so I need to get on it. I should also mention the new SIC (Student Information Center). You can purchase your senior shirts there or just ask for general information about anything. It's in a very convenient and visible location, another positive.

While those things are always there, sometimes there are events that you need to keep an eye out for. Today, Microsoft had a showcase of their newest products. They had their tablet and laptop set up for people to play around with. After lunch, I tried both products out of curiosity. They had me take a survey afterwards, but it was very short. On top of that, the people were very nice. I asked them a couple of questions. It was a good way to test out the newest technology without having to go out of my way to an electronics store.

There are so many events outside of McGauvran, right out on the lawn area as well. Something is always going on. In some ways, that makes South a bit more exciting than North. For people who have classes in both campuses, I think you can relate easily. I like being on South for the atmosphere and a good change of scenery.

Having said all that, my main message to you guys is to simply take a look around on campus. Even if it might seem like a boring Tuesday afternoon, you can always participate in something, because something is always going on, small or big. Your campus isn't all that bad at all.

I hope to see you all reading my next blog! I will be returning to my vintage self where I rant about a specific topic. It should be fun.

-Andy]]>
Jack Kerouac Weektag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.23222012-10-17T23:16:38Z2012-10-17T23:29:15ZHey guys. Hope you are all doing well. I haven't been myself lately but I'm hoping that changes sooner than later. We are almost 2 full months into the semester! Crazy, just crazy.Last week, I was asked to sell t-shirts...Hwang, SeungHyeon Last week, I was asked to sell t-shirts on South Campus, at an event that I wasn't really all that sure about. I didn't know what to expect nor what the event was about. I knew that last week was Jack Kerouac literary festival week, but I wasn't exactly planning to partake in all the activities. So when I was asked to sell shirts, I agreed, not only because I wanted to help out, but out of curiosity as well.

Needless to say, I saw the most interesting thing I've ever witnessed in my life. A poet named Anne Waldman performed her pieces in the most exciting way I've ever seen someone recite a poem. Her son's background music accompanied her descriptive and expressive poems. Let me reiterate - I have never ever seen anything like it. I'm not going to lie and say I loved it, but I know I was glad I was there to see such an experience.

Her performance lasted about an hour. She mixed in her wit and comedy along with her reading which made it much more interesting. By also being there, I got to learn more about the other events that were going on in celebration of Jack Kerouac. I saw some enthusiastic students there as well. The reason I liked the experience so much was because it was completely new to me. It's always good to try or see new things.

That's it for me today. I hope to write more as the week progresses. Life's a bit hectic, but come on now, whose life isn't, right?

Til next time,

Andy]]>
Exciting Things Are Happeningtag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.23192012-10-08T01:50:21Z2012-10-08T02:32:50ZHey guys. It's been a bit, but I am back with another blog. Hope you all have been doing well. A month has gone by in the semester and it's extremely hard to believe. It seems like it took forever,...Hwang, SeungHyeon Without giving too much away, I want to tell you guys that we are working toward a fun project that hopefully will be a great help to all the students on campus. I think it's fantastic that there will be another fun, resourceful way to get information out to the students and hopefully it will become a reality. My blogging probably will be nothing compared to the project!

My internship has been going well. Things are a bit slow right now, but going into work has been a great feeling. I feel like I take it for granted that I'm there, so I'm constantly reminding myself of how much an honor it is for me to be there. It is something I want to do and certainly something that will be valuable to my career. I know hard work will turn into something good

I am hearing that the Chancellor's Forum is toward the end of October so make some room for it if you can. I mentioned this last year, but I really enjoyed it last time I went. Students had a lot to ask and input, and the Chancellor did his best in answering everything. I learned things about the school I haven't noticed or heard of before, so it was a valuable experience. Even if it seems a little iffy, maybe a waste of time, trust me, it really isn't!

The only bad thing about the internship is getting up early (and the train ride costs). So I am going to go to sleep early so I can do just that. Yes, I have work tomorrow on Columbus Day. It's not much of a holiday out in the professional world haha.

Hope to see you reading my blog later,

-Andy ]]>
College Life is Hectictag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22992012-09-11T20:15:28Z2012-09-11T20:27:39ZHello everyone. Welcome to all the freshmen and welcome back to all the others! Classes have begun and I am hoping you all had a good summer. I think I did a relatively good job updating you guys about my...Hwang, SeungHyeon

I did start my internship with the Boston Bruins and it's been pretty good. The travel for me is a bit long and the cost of the trains nowadays are very expensive as well. I have to pay for rent and such on top of that, so it's going to be a challenge. But like I've said before, I want this badly and I can't make excuses. Even if I can't enjoy some things for the next 4 months, I will give my all to this internship. The atmosphere itself is quite amazing and sometimes I can't believe I am actually there as an intern. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has been very kind and professional. It is an excellent organization with a great set of core values and professionalism. I'm pinching myself as I write this.

I'm sure all of your lives have been hectic as well! The freshmen class really seem to enjoy the campus so that is an encouraging sign. I know that the school is improving everyday and I can guarantee that it's a much better place than it was when I came 3 years ago. That is not a knock on the school, it's rather a compliment. You can see the changes that the school has made over the years and I think it's really for the students more than anyone else.

Last blog, I posted a link to the article featuring UMass Lowell and Chancellor Meehan. I hope you all got a nice read out of it. It outlines his outlook about the school and his continuing effort to make it better. It might sound like I'm putting the school on a pedestal, so I apologize for that. I just know that changes have been made, many of which took account of student concerns, and I want to write about it. :)

Having said that, I would like to extend my help to anyone, especially freshmen, that need help with anything. I don't have a lot of time (thanks to the internship) but I am always reachable by email at andyhwang05@yahoo.com. I like helping others out obviously, just because I want to be nice!

I will update you guys more as the semester goes on but I've been trying to sort through a lot of things during this first couple of weeks. As soon as I settle down, you can expect more from me.

Til next time,

-Andy

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Go for it - Part 2 tag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22912012-08-20T02:28:53Z2012-08-20T04:09:04ZIf you haven't read the first part, go ahead and read it right here. I shall continue!Let me start off by saying that yes, I secured the internship with the Boston Bruins! Needless to express, I am extremely excited and...Hwang, SeungHyeon
right here. I shall continue!

Let me start off by saying that yes, I secured the internship with the Boston Bruins! Needless to express, I am extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity. As I was writing that previous blog, I had already received a phone call from the Bruins telling me that things were looking good. It was a huge confidence booster and made me more optimistic. Things just fell into place the way I wanted it to. I realized later that this internship was a tough get and I panned out. People congratulated me and told me that I should be happy and proud. The only word I can think of and really relate to is "thankful."

So I had a week or two to sit back and really think about what is ahead of me. I know for a fact that many students are or have been at where I am at currently. I only have a year of college left and the real world is right before my eyes. It's been a confusing and ambitious thought process, and to be honest, I still think about it every night. Allow me to elaborate a bit.

Inevitably, the biggest thing facing the class of 2013 is the job market. I am sure that the previous grads also had trouble with the market, but the market isn't all that strong and competition is all around the country. Massachusetts is a pretty competitive state when it comes to securing jobs. Because of these reasons, I cannot help but to think and question myself. Did I do enough and am I good enough to obtain a job? Even if it's a year away, it seems like it's getting closer day by day. Too close almost.

I think being concerned about the future is enough, but tie that in with all the little stresses of life, you are guaranteed to get a little crazy. Maybe some students don't over-think like I do (I am jealous), so it may be hard to relate. When I'm by myself, I think about too many things and over analyze things a bit too much. I know other students that go through the same process and we all should realize that it's not the healthiest thing for our lives.

Now here is my attempt to ridiculously tie my internship into all of those things. As I have mentioned, I did not expect anything when I sent in my application for the internship. I took the challenge head on if you will, and did not fear the result. I've had the same approach with a lot of things throughout my life and it mostly turned out for the better. Instead of worrying so much about the little things, I made a decision and took it in stride. I have lost my way a little bit in the last couple of weeks with so much thinking, but I'm trying to remind myself how I even got here in the first place. I encourage all of you to do the same if you are going through a similar time as I am.

Next blog, I would love to discuss the article on the Globe Magazine about UMass Lowell with Marty Meehan, our chancellor. It was a good read and you can find that here.

Til next time,

-Andy ]]>
Go for ittag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22882012-08-06T19:17:58Z2012-08-06T19:40:12ZHey guys. Hope all of you are doing well. Almost a month until we go back to the regular grind of classes! Get ready for another great year! It will be my last.So in a previous blog I mentioned that...Hwang, SeungHyeon So in a previous blog I mentioned that I got to talk to the Boston Bruins Director of Marketing. As I mentioned, he inspired and gave me excellent advice on my future career. One of the things he mentioned is the importance of an internship. He told me that most people in his field have done some sort of an internship and it was critical in the hiring process. But he also mentioned that it's not just about getting that internship, it's leaving a mark and letting them remember you with your hard work and dedication.

With the upcoming semester and my financial situation, I didn't think it was entirely possible that I could commit full-time to the internship. The travel costs were very expensive (I'd have to take the train), classes were crammed together, and things just didn't fall into place. It didn't make a whole lot of sense.

I thought about it for a long time after our meeting. I pictured every possible scenario but it didn't make sense, especially financially. I needed to pay rent and living expenses throughout the year. The travel cost alone was going to be a hefty amount every month for the duration of the internship.

But something suddenly hit me. It was like getting hit with something on the head, sort of a wake up call. Everything I've thought about so far was an excuse. If I really wanted this, then I'd be going after it without fear. My conservative attitude was holding me back. I couldn't sit there and say "I could have." Without fear, I grabbed my laptop and prepared my resume and cover letter. Thing is, I mentioned my situation and clarified my available commitment in the cover letter. I mailed it without having big expectations.

Needless to say, I was surprised when I got a call to arrange an interview. I arranged for the interview the next day (I'm guessing they were short on time), and went in there having prepared as much as I could. I just wanted to show them the person I was, rather than a person I'm trying to be at an interview, if that makes any sense.

Unfortunately, I thought I bombed the interview. I stuttered on a few questions, stumbled upon a couple words, and didn't think they were too impressed. That train ride home was not a fun one because I thought to myself too much. Yes, too much.

I'm still awaiting the results of the interview but hopefully it will be good news. Nothing is confirmed yet but I do have a good feeling about it. That sort of contradicts what I just said in the previous paragraph doesn't it? I'll explain in my next blog. I don't want to jinx things if you know what I mean.

Hope you check out my next blog!

-Andy]]>
Create Your Own Experiencetag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22802012-07-20T04:28:41Z2012-07-20T05:31:06ZSummer time usually means a lot of time to yourself. The more time you have alone, the more you think to yourself about random things. One thought leads to another, and the next thing you know you are having a...Hwang, SeungHyeon As I had these thoughts, the only thing that kept popping back into my mind was how I always wanted to work for the Boston Bruins. My passion for hockey was always there as some of you might already know, but working for a world class organization and showing them what I have to offer was an amazing thought as well.

Being the curious cat I am, I started to dig out some information about the marketing department of the Boston Bruins. I literally looked into everything, from internships to LinkedIn profiles. That's when I found the Boston Bruins director of marketing, as he was on LinkedIn. His list of experiences and accomplishments really was inspiring and I was hoping someone like him could give me a few words of advice to a confused soon-to-be senior in college.

As his LinkedIn account was protected from messages, I searched for his name to find any possible more information for contact, and I luckily found his Twitter account. To my big surprise, he actually tweeted me back. We exchanged a few tweets, and I eventually received an email address where I could express my thoughts more clearly and more than 140 characters at a time.

After a few emails, I was invited to the TD Garden Executive Offices to have a 1-on-1 chat as he told me that it would be more beneficial to have a face to face talk. I was delighted and humbled to have been offered such an opportunity. Needless to say, I accepted and I was on my way to Boston.

Chris, the director of marketing for the Boston Bruins, showed me around the TD Garden when I got there. He showed me around places I have never seen before, including the locker rooms, suites, and the Garden floor (a picture below). It was an amazing tour and experience.

We sat down in a suite when the tour was done and I asked him some of the questions that were lingering inside my head. He was so great with answering all the questions with honesty and passion. It really seemed like he enjoyed having me there. I was humbled by his experiences and hard work. I realized I was still have a lot of work to do in order to be a successful and hard-working employee for a world class organization.

He gave me a lot of good advice and I remember walking out of the Garden with a big smile on my face. This wasn't about getting a job, nor anything with employment. It was just a college student looking for a professional for some guidance. The professional was nice enough to give his time for me and I won't forget that for the rest of my life.

My point is, for a kid like me, who works and don't have the luxury to find an internship to suit my life, it was an amazing experience. I strongly believe that internships are important and I need to get to it at some point before the school year is over, but I know where my limits are. By even doing something like this, I have still gained a bit of knowledge and dug into the head of a professional for guidance.

The most important thing to remember though, is that you have the power and ability to create an experience like this yourself. I did get a little bit lucky in my experience, but that shouldn't stop anyone from pursuing their own experience. If there is something out there and you are curious about it, don't be afraid to shoot an email or two.

You just never know what might happen.

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Thinking Aheadtag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22772012-07-09T17:43:37Z2012-07-09T19:21:12ZHey guys, hope you all have been well. It's been REALLY hot lately so try to stay cool as well. I cannot stand the heat at all.It's July 9th already and we're about 8 weeks away from school starting up...Hwang, SeungHyeon It's July 9th already and we're about 8 weeks away from school starting up again. It is going to be my last year and I'm really excited about it. It's also probably the reason why I have been thinking so much about the upcoming year as well. It's good to think about the future sometimes, but overdoing it can really stress you out. I've been really stressed out thinking about everything I can think of.

One thing I have done already was contact the tutoring department for a potential opportunity to tutor. Tutoring is something I always wanted to do and hopefully I will get a chance to work there, especially with the debacle with my work study next year. The school did not award it to me for whatever reason and I'm trying to get it back. Hopefully that goes well too.

The other thing, which is probably the hardest and the most stressful part of them all, is actually planning a budget for the upcoming school year. I'll be renting an apartment for a year with my friends, so I have to make sure I have enough money every month to pay rent. I think I am on the right track, however. If you have extra cash, even $10 or $20, just put it aside as an emergency budget and you will thank me later.

That's it for today. Good news is, I know my next two blog topics are going to be. So hopefully you will visit real soon, as I will have some interesting topics to discuss!

-Andy ]]>
Orientation: Be Yourselftag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22742012-06-25T15:07:18Z2012-06-25T17:53:46ZI have of course enjoyed my time at UMass Lowell and plan to continue doing so, but everyone has regrets. My biggest regret dates back to before my freshmen year started. Just like the title says, my biggest regret originates...Hwang, SeungHyeon I remember the weeks leading up to orientation, I was extremely excited. It was the first time I was going to be able to get a good look at the university, get an idea of what it's all about. I'm sure every other student that was attending was thinking the same thing.

When I got there, I enjoyed my time and participated in everything that was offered. It was a really good time. Wait a minute, now you're probably thinking, "then why do you regret it?"

The real big thing I regret is not being myself, being conservative. Though some activities might be a bit embarrassing (I'm not kidding haha), I highly encourage you try to participate and speak up frequently. This is your first chance to show yourself to a whole new group of people. High school is behind you now. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do that for a variety of reasons and I regret that. I could have made many more friends if I was a little bit more active and engaging.

So don't make the same mistake I did incoming freshmen! I see you all having fun at orientation, I help set up for the writing placement testing. Enjoy orientation and make sure making new friends is on top of your priority list at orientation. I hope you all have a good time.

Til next time,

Andy ]]>
College Writing -- My taketag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22702012-06-07T19:19:50Z2012-06-07T19:38:12ZHey guys, hope you all have been well. I have a camping trip set up for next week which I am very excited about. In the meanwhile, I still have to work and earn money! So as some of you...Hwang, SeungHyeon So as some of you may know, I work for the English department as my summer employment job here in UMass Lowell. As I've said before, it's fantastic here. I do random tasks, but one consistent task I do is setting up for the writing placement testing for freshmen orientation on the testing days. I'm sure you all remember taking yours. As I was doing the usual task, I thought to myself, what must all those students be thinking at this moment? I remember myself taking it and regretting taking it lightly, until I completed the College Writing A course.

The placement testing is designed to have freshmen be placed to the correct level of English classes, so they could work on honing their writing skills without difficulty. You are either placed in college writing A or 1, and in rare cases, 2 (I'm not sure if it's ever been done before). I was an honors English student in high school, so I went in there thinking it would be a breeze. I probably wrote a horrendous paper and ultimately, I was placed in college writing A. I hated that I got placed in a lower writing class, as it was very uncharacteristic of me. Instead of re-testing, however, I thought it would be a good opportunity to go back to the basics and try to stay a bit more humble. It was a nice wake up call.

I remember the first thing my professor said in college writing A, which was that he believed students who took this course turn out better than those who went straight to college writing 1. I thought he was spewing mumbo jumbo at that point but after I took the course, I knew he was correct. We worked on the basics and really crafted our skills in writing. It wasn't about completing lesson plans for the semester, but really getting us ready to do that for the future. I can gladly say that I was glad to have taken that class instead of jumping right into college writing 1. I ended up getting A's in all of the college writing classes, but grades are not the point here. It made me a better, structured writer for the future.

My small piece of advice to the freshmen are that even if you get placed in college writing A, don't get discouraged! It's not the end of the world and it's okay to see your friends jump into college writing 1 before you. It will help you out more than it hurts you, trust me on that one. The English professors here are great at what they do and they will do their best to improve your writing no matter what. If you are taking college writing 1, then congratulations to you as well! You probably deserve to be placed there!

It's great to see all the freshmen on campus for orientation. It really brought back memories. Hearing a crowd yell "fired up" on top of their lungs was pretty familiar too. I wish I had the time and commitment to engage in these freshmen-welcoming activities too!

Until next time,

Andy ]]>
Summer has officially begun...for me!tag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22672012-05-30T17:45:22Z2012-05-30T20:08:29ZHey guys, hope your summer has been going well. Did you get all your grades yet? I did well and finished the semester with a 3.6 GPA. The worst part of getting your grades is when you realize you have...Hwang, SeungHyeon I have started my summer employment here in the O'Leary English Department on south campus. I enjoy working for this department because it has a fair share of work and downtime incorporated into it. The faculty in this department are fabulous as well, very nice people. If only the real world jobs were this friendly haha. I keep on thinking about next year, as around this time next year I'll probably be searching for a job after graduation. It's surreal to think about.

I haven't been to the north campus yet but I'm sure the renovations are going swimmingly. I don't see much being worked on here in south. It's been very quiet with students here and there. Starbucks is open though and I have been making frequent visits. I am not 100% sure whether the dining hall is open for business though. I get really hungry here with only a vending machine to look forward to.

An interesting thing I do every year is to seek out the Facebook pages for the incoming freshmen on campus and leave a message. I encourage them to ask questions and tell them they can contact me about things they want to know about the school. I know there are set people that respond to this stuff but I am too lazy to go through the process to become an "official" person haha. Hopefully some people come and ask questions of some sort because I am too bored!

My friends and I booked our annual camping trip for mid-June for 4 days and hopefully we'll enjoy it again. I love getting away from everyday things for a couple days and enjoying nature as it is. There has been a lot going on in my life, a lot of negative things, but I am trying to fight through it. My friends and brother have been great so it will be a memorable trip.

I think I am out of stuff to write about, I'll think of a good topic for next week to blog about!

-Andy ]]>
Summer's Here!tag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22602012-05-16T04:23:19Z2012-05-16T04:30:09ZHey guys, it's Andy here. I have officially been done with my finals since last Friday afternoon (my birthday), and I have been trying to relax since. I already received an A in one of my classes so it's looking...Hwang, SeungHyeon So today's blog will just focus on some updates of my life. First things first. I will be blogging in the summer again! I love blogging, as you guys can see, so it should be another fun summer with random updates. I will be working in UMass Lowell for summer employment, so I will provide lots of updates about the school as well. They are renovating a lot of buildings so maybe I can take a peak at it to provide updates.

My birthday was on Friday and I made it over to Fenway Park to celebrate it. Heading out to the city always lightened up my mood, and I needed it that day. My father got into a big accident in the highway. My father was okay, but the car was not. That's the frustrating part. Now I don't have a way to get to work! I am scrambling to find out a way to get to work and that's been stressing me out. Not a good way to begin the summer but I am trying to look at everything positively.

I rarely get comments (that aren't spam), but I am curious to know what you all are doing for the summer. If you have anything, let me know. You can always contact me through Twitter for any suggestions or comments. I really do care what people are thinking, especially who are reading this!

Let's all keep our fingers crossed for a good week. I feel so apologetic for my work study employers but they were very understanding. I'll hopefully have a solution by next week and I will be blogging in a much happier mood (maybe) haha. Until then, study hard and stay healthy! It's going to get hot soon.

-Andy ]]>
Studying and More Studyingtag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22522012-05-03T16:14:18Z2012-05-03T17:15:30ZHey guys. Hope your studying is going well for finals. I am trying to study early for finals but it just won't come inside my head. So I'm winging it until the night before that final haha. Sounds irresponsible right?...Hwang, SeungHyeon I have 3 exams on 3 straight days and I am done on the 10th, right before my birthday! So you guys can imagine, it's going to be much harder to focus haha.

Between the last paragraph and this one, I have moved my location to the O'Leary library from Southwick. The M floor of the O'Leary library is a new favorite of mine, as it's a quiet study area. It's easy to focus on your work here and the students are quite courteous of the manners in a library.

I just want to take this time to congratulate the seniors on their graduation and hope for their best in the future. Our time is coming soon class of 2013! It only seems like yesterday I was a freshmen. Time does fly.

I will blog right after finals so I'll talk to you guys then! Thanks!

-Andy

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Facing the Finalstag:blog.uml.edu,2012:/hawktalk/andy//45.22432012-04-24T18:55:28Z2012-04-24T19:03:21ZHey guys, it's Andy here! It's been a while since I've written, but I've had a lot on my plate lately. In the span between the last blog and this one, I've received an award, inducted into a leadership society,...Hwang, SeungHyeon Today's blog is pretty much focusing on the finals. As I prepare for mine, I thought it would be good to write about it. Let's make it clear though: I hate studying for finals. I don't know anyone that likes it, but I despise this process. To recall everything we have learned in the semester isn't easy for everyone. But somehow, every year, I get through it with positive results. If you are like me, then you are probably worrying about it too much. When someone says it will work out in the end, it probably will, just like finals.

What I found out is that people don't go to the tutoring centers all that much. I am guilty of this as well, but you all should really visit the tutoring center if you are struggling with something. It's better than sitting in your room scratching your head, looking for answers. Some tutors may not be helpful, but some are very intelligent. With the finals coming up, tutoring center may get more busy, but there is always time for you there. You want a good grade right?

The real thing I wanted to touch upon is studying early for finals. Professors always tell us to study nice and early so we don't cram everything until the end. I agree to a certain extent, but you know what kind of student you are better than anyone else. If you study better at the last second, like me, then don't feel pressured to do it too early. I've done it both ways, and they both helped. Study the way you want and feel satisfied with it.

Some may say that the only goal of final exams is to get a good grade on it, but I disagree to an extent. My goal is to come out of the exam room feeling that I gave it my best. So to make that happen, we all have to study hard!

I'll write again soon, I promise! But for now, more projects and homework!